5th Grade Parent Information & Presentation

Below is the letter which was sent to parents about PIN and Adventures in Middle School.  Please see the invitation below.  There are many links in this document.  If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the school. 

 

June 6, 2024

Dear 5th Grade Students and Parents,

Welcome to Pilgrim Park Middle School! We are so eager to meet our new students and parents as we embark on the 24-25 school year! As you prepare for the transition to middle school, I have included some important information to support you in this transition.

Transition Visits and Questions

Our team has finished all of our 5th grade visits and had so much fun meeting all of our new students. We hope that our visit helped calm some of the nerves and made everyone a little bit more excited to start middle school in the fall. We did our very best to answer all of the questions, but there were usually too many to count at the end of our sessions! Mrs. Berghauer, 6th grade counselor, is our expert in the transition to middle school and has put together the document below to help answer the more frequently asked questions. We hope this is a helpful resource for students and parents.

PPMS 5th to 6th Transition - Frequently Asked Questions

Schedules

Student schedules will be released in Infinite Campus on August 19th. Following the schedule release, there are two opportunities for students to get oriented with the building, see below for more information.

Save the Date - Locker/Picture Day August 22nd

For ALL students, Locker/Picture Day will be held on Thursday, August 22nd from 3:00pm-7:00pm. Locker/Picture day is a time for students and parents to walk student schedules, set up lockers, and have student pictures taken prior to the school year.  Families can come anytime during this four hour window. We will have picture make-up days during the school year, so please don’t worry if you miss this event. Additionally, the building will be open 8/26–8/29 during school business hours (8:00 am–2:00 pm) for additional locker set up time, walking through schedules, and becoming familiar with the building. The building will be closed on Fridays, August 23rd and 30th.

Save the Date - Adventures in Middle School - August 29th

“Adventures in Middle School” is the summer orientation program held at Pilgrim Park Middle School for our 6th grade students only. Students spend time with their 6th grade house teachers learning the ropes of middle school so they will feel confident and ready for the first day of school.  Students have the opportunity to tour the building, learn about the middle school day, get to know their teachers and meet other students in their class, and practice opening their school issued locks.  This event is not mandatory, but is an opportunity to help our incoming 6th graders feel confident and comfortable entering middle school. Please click on the flyer below for more information. We ask that families RSVP so we have a general knowledge of which students are attending. Please complete the RSVP form below to help us better plan. If you are unable to attend, the building will be open after that day during normal business hours for you to come in with your child and walk his/her schedule.

Adventures in Middle School Flyer

Adventures in Middle School RSVP

We also offer a parent component to our Adventures in Middle School experience. If you are a new middle school parent, or just wanted a refresher on how to support a middle school student, you are invited to stay during your child’s Adventures experience for a parent session where we will review information relevant to the middle school parent including the topics below. Parents are asked to report to the cafeteria for this session. This session is optional based on interest and availability. 

• How do I monitor my child’s grades on Infinite Campus?

• What is Canvas and how can I see what is happening in each of my child’s classes?

• Who do I communicate with at PPMS when I need support or have a concern?

• How do I support my child’s learning?

• Q&A Session

• And more!

School Supplies

Our school supply lists for 2024-25 are posted on the Pilgrim Park website. Parents have the option of shopping for these items on your own or ordering a school kit through PTO. Here is the link to purchase supplies and have them shipped to your home. 

Transition Resources

Our transition process began in February with course selection and will culminate with our Adventures in Middle School program in August. Rest assured, we are prepared to support all of our students as they make this transition. I have included links to our transition information that has been previously shared for easy reference below. When kids (or parents) are feeling nervous for the transition, these resources can help answer your questions and hopefully help you to feel at ease.

• 5th Grade Welcome Video (February)

• 5th Grade Welcome Video Script (February)

• 5th Grade Parent Information Night Video (April) 

• 5th Grade Parent Information Night Slides (April)

• 5th Grade Classroom Visit Presentation (May/June)  

Health Room Information

Immunizations

Please note that students entering 7th grade in the fall are required to show written evidence of a Tdap vaccination (adolescent booster). Written evidence means a paper or an electronic record of the month, day and year the vaccine was administered. If you choose to sign a waiver for religious, health, or personal conviction, the bottom portion of the Student Immunization Record has been designated for this purpose. Simply check the type of waiver, the immunization you are waiving, and sign/date. Please note medical waivers require both parent and medical practitioner signatures.

Please see this link for the Student Immunization Record to provide the above information.

If you have questions whether your child received the Tdap adolescent booster, you may access the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR) to look up your child’s immunization record. You may also contact your child’s practitioner if you have questions.

NEW IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR

The Department of Health and Human Services has recently released new immunization requirements for the start of the 2024-25 school year. 

• Meningococcal ACWY vaccine 

  • Required for students beginning  the 7th (one dose) and 12th (two doses) grades  in the fall.

  • 12th graders who received their first dose of a Meningococcal ACWY containing vaccine at age 16 or older are only required to have one dose. 

  • Parents or adult students may either (1) provide proof of vaccination or (2) claim exemption for medical, religious, or philosophical reasons. The attached form should be returned for either proof of vaccination or to claim an exemption. Please return completed forms to your child’s school.

• Chickenpox Verification Changes

  • Varicella (chickenpox) continues to be a required vaccine. Students with a history of varicella disease are not required to receive the vaccine. 

  • Starting in the 2024-25 school year, a physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse prescriber must document  a reliable history of varicella disease by signing the student immunization form (attached). Parent report without verification by a medical provider is no longer permitted. 

  • Parents or adult students may either (1) provide proof of vaccination or (2) claim exemption for medical, religious, or philosophical reasons. The attached form should be returned for either proof of vaccination or to claim an exemption. Please return completed forms to your child’s school or email.

Please contact your child's practitioner with questions and for additional information about these new statewide requirements.  See attached  link for additional information and 2024-25 Student Immunization Form. 24-25 Immunization Form. Completed immunization forms can be returned to your child’s school. Please direct questions to Pilgrimparkhealthroom@elmbrookschools.org.
 

Attendance

Attendance at the middle school is handled by Sandy Morris, PPMS attendance secretary.  She can be reached at PPMSattendance@elmbrookschools.org or 262-785-3924 for any school absence reporting. You do not contact the health office for attendance reporting in middle school.

Medications

New medication orders are needed EACH SCHOOL YEAR. If your child will be needing medication administered throughout the school day, you may access the necessary forms here. All completed health related forms or medication orders can be sent to pilgrimparkhealthroom@elmbrookschools.org.

Thank you for taking the time to review this important information as your child makes the transition to middle school. Don’t forget to follow us on X (@PPMS_SDE) to see some of the great things happening at PPMS! Have an amazing summer! We can’t wait to welcome our new Panthers to PPMS!

Kelly Szesterniak, Principal